Michigan

Michigan freshman point guard Derrick Walton Jr. and the Wolverines defeated Holy Cross at Crisler Center on Saturday night to improve to 8-4 overall. The game marked Michigan's final non-conference game of the season.
(Courtney Sacco | The Ann Arbor News)

After leading 55-40 with 15:30 remaining, Michigan broke the game open with an 11-2 run capped by 3-pointers by Zak Irvin and Robinson and an additional dunk by Robinson.

The run took only 2 minutes, 58 seconds. When it was over, so was the game.

Holy Cross (6-6) got no closer than 19 points the rest of the way.

The game marked Michigan’s first bout with Mitch McGary officially out of the lineup indefinitely. The preseason All-American power forward announced Friday he will undergo back surgery, which could all but end his sophomore campaign.

Following Friday’s somber press conference, McGary appeared in good spirits Saturday. He joked with teammates and was all smiles during pregame warmups. Then he sat in the fifth seat on the bench next to John Beilein’s and U-M assistants Jeff Meyer, Bacari Alexander and LaVall Jordan, watching the game in a black suit.

Michigan built leads of 19-10 and 29-21 early, but was answered by back-to-back baskets by Holy Cross each time. U-M closed the first half with an 8-2 spurt, though, to take a 42-30 lead into halftime.

Robinson and LeVert combined for 21 first-half points on 8-of-12 shooting and a pair of 3-pointers.

Jordan Morgan filled the hole left by McGary in Michigan’s starting lineup. He replaced Jon Horford, who started for McGary in U-M’s win over Stanford last Friday.

Morgan finished with six points and five rebounds.

HIGHLIGHTS
-- Even with McGary out of the lineup, Michigan scored 48 points in the paint and outrebounded Holy Cross,37-28. Veteran forwards Jordan Morgan and Jon Horford, the keys to replacing McGary's presence down low, combined for 16 points and 10 rebounds..

-- In a balanced attack, nine different U-M players scored as the team shot 33-of-59 from the field (55.9 percent).

-- Michigan guard Zak Irvin, already a two-time Big Ten freshman of the week, continued his solid play as Michigan's best scorer off the bench. Irvin hit two 3-pointers and finished with eight points in 14 minutes.

LOWLIGHTS
-- There weren't many, but John Beilein would surely like to see more than 16 assists on 33 made field goals.

-- Max Bielfeldt, who is expected to see a bump in playing time in McGary's absence, only played two minutes.